Pirates continue to flex muscles with 11-3 win over Cougars
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Canyons | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
|
Orange Coast | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | X | 11 | 13 | 0 |
COSTA MESA -- A six-run third inning was more than enough for the Orange Coast College baseball team as the Pirates slugged their way to an 11-3 nonconference win over the College of the Canyons on Saturday at Wendell Pickens Field.
After giving up a two-out solo home run to Anthony Lepre in the opening inning, the Pirates (12-2) quickly responded as Travis Moniot ripped a leadoff double on the first pitch, went to third on a fly ball to center by Walker Keller and scored on an sacrifice fly off the bat of Eric Wagaman.
From there, it was ALL Pirates the rest of the way as they knocked COC starter Damien Balboa out of the game during OCC's six-run third inning. Wataman and Daniel Hawkins ripped RBI-hits before scoring on a three-run home run off the bat of Jake Gozzo, putting the Pirates up 6-1. J.T. Navarro later capped off the frame with an RBI-single to make it 7-1.
Coast delivered the knockout blow to the Cougars (7-5) in the fifth inning, scoring three runs, sparked by an RBI-single off the bat of Nolan Powers.
Gozzo finished with two hits, two runs and three RBI, while Moniot (2-for-3, 2 runs), Wagaman (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) and Robert Teel (2-for-3, two runs) each a multi-hit game for the Pirate offense.
OCC starter McKinley LeFore improved his record to 4-0 after allowing three runs on seven hits over seven innings, walking one and striking out five. Andrew Eppenbach and Matt Tomazin each threw scoreless frames to seal the deal for Coast.
The Pirates and Cougars will play again on Tuesday, beginning at 2 p.m. at the College of the Canyons. OCC's next home game will be on Tuesday, March 7 against Santa Ana in the Orange Empire Conference opener, also at 2 p.m.
